Our Publishing Mission

Every week we get messages from people that say how their lives have been changed by the books that we publish, how we’ve helped them feel included in a society where difference is all too often frowned upon.

We believe in the importance of promoting diversity, which is why we publish authors who have lived experiences of the topics we cover. So, our books about autism are written by autistic people, just as our books about gender diversity are written by people who identify as gender fluid. Our authors are the experts, and it’s our job to make sure their voices are heard.

We work very closely with the communities for whom we publish, to ensure we’re commissioning books that genuinely help and empower them. Our editors, marketing and sales teams speak regularly with our readers - on social media, at conferences and book events, and through long-standing partnerships with associations and charities – so that we can gather first-hand the feedback that informs our future publishing.

We want our books to inspire readers to change society for the better.

The JKP Story

You might already know us for our books on autism, social work and arts therapies, as we’ve been publishing in these areas since we started, in 1987. More recently, we have broken new ground in the fields of mental health, gender diversity, adoption and fostering, and special education. In 2006, our Singing Dragon imprint was born, the home to our professional books on Chinese medicine and complementary therapies, yoga therapy and nutrition.

Our children’s books tackle complex or sensitive issues, like bereavement, anger, and depression, making them accessible for young readers. They’re wonderfully illustrated with a range of clearly diverse characters, so that all children can see themselves reflected in the stories that they read. We believe that establishing positive narratives about difference from an early age can help shape confident and fulfilling lives.

In 2004 we opened our office in Philadelphia, USA, and in 2017 we became part of the John Murray Press division of Hachette UK. In 2020, we won the British Book Award for Academic, Educational and Professional Publisher of the Year.